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88
All the ash-places consisted of metal bins except for the following:—
Wood or brick bins 79
Refuse thrown on manure heap 52
All the ash-bins were kept in the yards or otherwise in the open air
(forecourts, areas, open vaults or roofs) except the following:—
In the house 30
„ ,, wash-house 7
,, ,, stable 3
Water Supply.
Section 78 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907,
provides that ever}' house let to the working classes and occupied by members
of more than one family must have a water supply on every floor let to a
separate family or families. In this borough the section has only been used
to secure that every family shall have a water-tap on its own or the next floor.
In the house comprising basement, ground, first and second floors with water
on the ground floor level only we have been satisfied with an additional tap
on the landing between the first and second floors.
During 1914 notices were served for additional water supply in regard to
871 houses.
Underground Rooms.
The procedure provided by the Housing and Town Planning Act for underground
rooms is somewhat cumbrous, and before any pressure can be brought
to bear a closing order has to be made. The method which has been adopted
in St. Pancras since September, 1913, when the section was first put into
operation is as follows :—
The Sanitary Inspector reports to the Medical Officer of Health any
underground room which appears to be illegally occupied, full details and
measurements being supplied to the latter on a special form.
If the room is not in conformity with Section 17 (7), a printed letter is sent
to the owner and occupier respectively informing him of the fact, and asking
him to see that the use of the room for sleeping purposes is discontinued.
If after a delay of two months the room is found to be still used for
sleeping purposes the case is reported to the Public Health Committee for the
purpose of making a closing order.
After the closing order has been made the provisions of the Act are allowed
to take their cour3e.
This method has been very successful, and in no case have we found it
necessary to take legal proceedings to secure the compliance with closing
orders in respect of underground rooms.
During the year letters were sent in respect of 268 underground rooms
(in 236 houses) which did not comply with the requirements of the Act and
regulations. 95 closing orders in respect of underground rooms (in 85
houses) were made.
In addition, 30 intimation notices were served during the year under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891, in regard to underground rooms illegally
occupied as dwellings. Of these 4 (in 4 houses) were underground rooms in
respect of which no action had been taken previously.